Rav Shlomo Brevda zt”l, Upon His First Yahrtzeit, Today

Today is the first yahrtzeit of Rav Shlomo Brevda zt”l, was one of the most well-known maggidei shiur and darshanim and  delivered thousands of drashos in Jewish communities worldwide.

Rav Brevda was the author of numerous seforim, including volumes on Yomim Tovim. His writings on the Torah of the Vilna Gaon and the Gaon‘s seforim in aggadah and Kabbolah are particularly well known.

Rav Brevda  recalled the following miracle that happened to him in Yerushalayim when he was a young man while he was learning in Brisk in Yerushalayim:

One night, he decided to run to a relative’s house. While he was approaching the house there was a sudden blackout, which made the street turn pitch black. He suddenly remembered that right next to the relative’s house was a very long steep and slippery staircase built into the street, which one had to navigate very carefully in order to avoid slipping and falling down its sharp and circuitous route.

Stopping immediately to get his bearings, he tried to locate the staircase in the darkness, when he was absolutely stunned to find that the stairs where at the edge of his right foot, and had he continued running for just a fraction of a second more, he would have certainly been seriously injured C”V.

He was hoping that the next morning he will daven and thank Hashem with his full heart, better then ever, after his life was saved by the split of the second, but davening Shacharis was just like any ordinary day, it bothered him tremendously.

So Rav Brevda traveled – four hours each way – to Bnai Brak to discus this matter with the Chazon Ish. He related the miracle to the Chazon Ish. Rav Brevda asked the Chazon Ish, “Why is it that I do not feel any different and closer to Hashem Yisborach since I woke up today than when I woke up yesterday or any other day of my life? I was privileged to have an open miracle happen to me, yet I do not feel like I am on my way to serving Hashem any better today then yesterday! Or the day before! How can this be?”

The Chazon Ish paused and thought for a few moments before he answered. “There is a special yeitzer hara called “The yeitzer hara after an open miracle” that tries to weaken a person when he is stirred to serve Hashem after experiencing a miracle.”

Rav Brevda is remember as one of the great mashpiim and maggidei shiur of his time, and for perpetuating the pure mesorah of the Vilna Gaon like few others.

Rav Brevda is survived by his wife and his children, R’ Chaikel Brevda, R’ Velvel Brevda, R’ Ahron Brevda, Mrs. Rochel Altusky, Mrs. Esther Druk and Mrs. Fruma Yoselovsky.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com Newscenter}